Algerian defender Youcef Atal has signed for Turkish club Adana Demirspor after receiving a suspended sentence in France last month for inciting religious hatred about the conflict in Gaza, his club Nice announced Friday. Youcef Atal is an Algerian professional footballer born on May 17, 1996. He plays as a right-back for Adana Demirspor, a club in the Süper Lig, and also represents the Algeria national team.
“Six months from the end of his contract, Youcef Atal leaves OGC Nice for Turkey,” Nice said in a statement. “The club wishes him good luck for the rest of his career.”
The 27-year-old right-back was handed an eight-month suspended sentence by a court in the Riviera city last month. He shared a video to his Instagram account five days after Hamas’ October 7 assault on Israel, showing a preacher, Mahmoud Al Hasanat, calling for a “black day for the Jews”.
He was also fined 45,000 euros ($49,000). The player apologised after deleting the post and appealed the judgement.
He was suspended by his club and also suspended for seven matches by the LFP disciplinary committee, and has not reappeared for Nice since. Capped 29 times for Algeria, Atal participated in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. defender Youcef Atal
Controversy
On October 14, 2023, during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, Youcef Atal shared a video on social media featuring Palestinian preacher Mahmoud al-Hasanat calling for a “dark day” for Jewish people. Atal quickly removed the video after facing criticism, particularly from Nice mayor Christian Estrosi, who asserted that unless Atal condemns Hamas terrorists, he no longer has a place at OGC Nice. Atal then issued an apology on Instagram, clarifying his opposition to all forms of violence.
On October 16, the Nice public prosecutor’s office launched a preliminary investigation against him for “defending terrorism.” Two days later, OGC Nice suspended him indefinitely following the incident. On October 25, the Ligue de Football Professionnel handed Atal a seven-match suspension due to the post.
On November 24, he was taken into custody by French police over the anti-Semitic posts. In January 2024, he was convicted of inciting religious hatred and received an eight-month suspended sentence.
BeSoccer, “Algeria’s Atal Signs for Turkish Club after France Conviction,” Besoccer.com (BeSoccer, February 10, 2024), https://www.besoccer.com/new/algeria-s-atal-signs-for-turkish-club-after-france-conviction-1301466.
